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Internationally-renowned ‘historical detective’, Michael Wood, will launch a major new series of lectures, exhibitions, concerts and seminars on the Medieval era next week at The University of Nottingham.

‘Accessing the Medieval’ promises to be a compelling and illuminating programme of events at the University over the next two years. It’s being launched by the Institute for Medieval Research and the Department of Manuscripts and Special Collections which looks after many important and celebrated items of Medieval origin within its extensive archives. The research series has been set up to explore the relationship between popular perceptions of the Middle Ages and academic research in this fascinating field of study.

The inaugural event is a public lecture by Michael Wood called ‘Saxons, Celts and Vikings, The Reign of Athelstan and the Creation of England’. It takes place at 6pm on Monday March 1 on University Park. Michael Wood is well known as a popular historian and TV documentary maker. He is currently working on a new series for television called ‘English Story’, which follows one East Midlands village, Kibworth in Leicestershire, through history, from the Romans to the present.

Michael Wood’s illustrated talk will include some exciting new ideas and fresh discoveries about 10thcentury England with some intriguing speculations about King Athelstan, ‘the greatest figure in British history to lack a biography’. He will also offer a fresh look at the greatest unsolved mystery of the period — the location of the 10thcentury ‘Great War’, the battle of Brunanburh.

Another highlight of the ‘Accessing the Medieval’ research series will be an exhibition of medieval manuscripts which once formed part of the Willoughby family library at Wollaton Hall, Nottinghamshire. ‘Saints, Sinners and Story Tellers’ opens at the University’s Lakeside Arts Centre on Friday April 30.

The display will also provide the first public opportunity to see leaves from the Wollaton Antiphonal, a 15thcentury illuminated musical manuscript from St Leonard’s Parish Church in Wollaton, now in the care of the University. Some of the choral works within it will be performed in a concert by the Binchois Consort at Lakeside on Saturday May 8.

“We are delighted that this unique research series is being launched byMichael Wood. He is an excellent example of someone who is both very knowledgeable about the medieval period and a master at making it accessible to a large audience. The Institute similarly prides itself on the combination of expertise and enthusiasm and we are always keen to share our knowledge with the interested general public. The new series is an ideal opportunity to do so.”

Keeper of the University’s Manuscripts and Special Collections, Dr Dorothy Johnston, said: “It is unusual to have a medieval collection which has retained its links with a particular locality, and we are delighted to have this opportunity to showcase it for a public audience. The exhibition has an amazing range of interest — from stories of kings and images of knights

to details of skills involved in the making of these manuscripts.”

A full programme of the events within the research series this year is detailed below:

(The programme for the next academic session 2010/11 will be released in August.)

Accessing the Medieval

University of Nottingham

Institute for Medieval Research and

Department of Manuscripts and Special Collections

2010–2012

Monday March 1 2010

Public Lecture Michael Wood

Saxons, Celts and Vikings: The Reign of Athelstan (925-39) and the Creation of England

6pm, Law and Social Sciences B63, followed by a reception.

Thursday March 18 2010

Seminar Dr Kathryn Lowe

A graduate of Nottingham and senior lecturer in English Language at the University of Glasgow, Dr Lowe advised Melvyn Bragg on his landmark TV seriesThe Adventures of English(2002) and the radio seriesThe Routes of English(1999-2001).

Travels with Auntie: Me, Melvyn and the Media

6pm, Trent Building B38a

Events at the Lakeside Arts Centre

Admission free unless otherwise specified

Friday April 30 2010 – Sunday August 8 2010

Exhibition Saints, Sinners and Story Tellers: Medieval Wollaton Manuscripts at The University of Nottingham

Weston Gallery, DH Lawrence Pavilion

Admission free.

Wednesday May 5 2010

Lunchtime talk Keeping safe and sharing access

The curators reveal more about the development of the exhibition in the context of recent conservation, digitisation and research projects.

Notes to editors:The University of Nottingham is ranked in the UK’s Top 10 and the World’s Top 100 universities by the Shanghai Jiao Tong (SJTU) andTimes Higher (THE) World University Rankings.

More than 90 per cent of research at The University of Nottingham is of international quality, according to RAE 2008, with almost 60 per cent of all research defined as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’.Research Fortnight analysis of RAE 2008 ranks the University 7thin the UK by research power. In 27 subject areas, the University features in the UK Top Ten, with 14 of those in the Top Five.

The University provides innovative and top quality teaching, undertakes world-changing research, and attracts talented staff and students from 150 nations. Described byThe Times as Britain’s “only truly global university”, it has invested continuously in award-winning campuses in the United Kingdom, China and Malaysia. Twice since 2003 its research and teaching academics have won Nobel Prizes. The University has won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in both 2006 (International Trade) and 2007 (Innovation — School of Pharmacy), and was named ‘Entrepreneurial University of the Year’ at theTimes Higher Education Awards 2008.

Nottingham was designated as a Science City in 2005 in recognition of its rich scientific heritage, industrial base and role as a leading research centre. Nottingham has since embarked on a wide range of business, property, knowledge transfer and educational initiatives (www.science-city.co.uk) in order to build on its growing reputation as an international centre of scientific excellence. The University of Nottingham is a partner in Nottingham: the Science City.